Where Are All the Italian-Australian Picture Books?

If you’ve ever searched for Italian-Australian children’s books or Italian picture books for kids, you’ll know – they’re surprisingly hard to find.

Sure, there are some wonderful middle-grade Italian migration stories for kids that explore Italian family stories, traditions, and the migrant experience in Australia. Titles like The Immigrants by Moreno Giovannoni or Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta give older readers a deep and moving insight into our shared history. But what about the little ones? Where are the Italian storybooks for preschoolers?

For so many of us Italian-Australian Gen X and millenials, Looking for Alibrandi was the first time we truly saw ourselves on the page. It captured the tensions, pride, and beauty of growing up between two cultures—and it meant the world. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if younger kids had stories like that too? Picture books that reflect their Italian family life, the language they hear at Nonna’s or Great Nonna’s house, the food they eat, and the love that surrounds them? Kids deserve to see themselves and their heritage celebrated from the very beginning and that’s exactly why more Italian-Australian picture books are so needed.

As a children’s book author and proud Italian-Australian, I found myself asking the same question. I wanted to share books about Nonna and Nonno with my own kids that reflected the warm, funny, food-filled childhood I remember – books that celebrated Italian culture for children: Nonna’s kitchen, big family lunches, and the mix of Italian and English spoken across generations. But the shelves were mostly empty of books about Italian grandparents and Italian traditions for kids.

That absence is even more surprising when you consider just how many Australians share Italian roots. Italians are one of the largest migrant communities in the country. More than 1 million Australians claim Italian ancestry, and around 170,000 were born in Italy. Italian migration played a huge role in shaping modern Australia, especially in cities like Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, where Italian family life is a cherished part of the everyday.

That’s one of the reasons I wrote My Nonno Loves and My Nonna Loves – Italian-Australian picture books that honour the beautiful relationships children have with their grandparents. These books about growing up Italian are filled with joy, love, and all the little moments that make being raised in an Italian-Australian family so special. From sunflower seeds and picking vegetables to the comforting smell of biscotti baking, they’re tributes to our culture, our families, and the everyday magic of childhood.

There’s room for more. More multicultural books for kids. Better representation. More Italian heritage books for kids where Australian children with Italian backgrounds can see themselves, their families, and their traditions celebrated.

So if you’ve also been searching for Italian language books for toddlers or picture books about Italy, or if you’re keen to introduce your children to the richness of Italian culture, I invite you to explore this space with me. Let’s grow the bookshelf together with Italian cultural resources for teachers, Italian-themed books for school or library, and storytime ideas with Italian themes.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or educator looking for the best Italian books for children, or you’re simply interested in teaching kids about Italian culture and celebrating Italian roots with kids, there’s never been a better time to start building a collection of Italian children’s books that truly reflect who we are. If you know of any, please let me know so I can share them!